Before & After: Living room + Breakfast nook

I knocked out a wall. Well, I widened a doorway. Okay – I supervised the widening of a doorway.

When we first looked at this house, I wasn’t sold on it almost entirely because of the small eat-in kitchen. We would turn the formal dining room into a study, which meant all of our meals and entertaining would be done in an awkwardly small breakfast nook. The door to the garage also opens into the nook™, which meant we’d need to shimmy around the table every time we were coming or going.

Then one of us (exactly who is up for debate) had a stroke of genius. “What if we knock out the wall between the living room and the nook™?”

Can we do that? Well, we did … with the expert help of two men, each with two first names. Scott Allen and Randal Daniel made the following photos possible. To be sure, there is still some finishing work to be done. I still need to put up the casing, the trim, and texture the drywall.

These are quick photomerges (a bunch of shots stitched together). So if things look a little off-kilter, that’s not our house, it’s my lazy Photoshop skillz.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Living room Before

Living room After

It’s official

Matt and I are homeowners! I am so excited, we all are, the person who showed the most excitement is my Dad…I love his excitement over big things.

We forgot the camera today and they’ve already taken down the SOLD sign but we’ll get a pic of the house soon. I already am finding myself eager to meet neighbors and pull weeds. I can’t wait. God has shown himself so, so, so faithful. He is good.

In other news, I just started loving Google Reader and LOVE it!! Tonight I did some textile editing…yeah that’s right…Matt said it’s sort of WYSIWYG (sounds like whiz-E-Whig) editing. Although, I’m disappointed because I thought I got the label or title of WYSIWYG editor. I guess that will have to do.

Asking and Praising…

First, I need to say that I cringe every time I read the title of my last blog post “Moving Stinks”.   What a brat I am.  To say that I have been begging God to give us a home would be an understatement.  Moving and being a mom to two precious girls has shown me nothing but the fact that I am a wretch and God is good.

Second,  praise God w/ us.  These last days have been 100% stressful.  I have not run to God or clung to much of anything.   Even though it’s been a roller coaster of; will we close or won’t we, this get turned back on, etc.  I just found out that our letter of credit was sent to the water dept and water is turned on.  An answer to prayer.  He has been faithful.  Praise Him!

These next weeks will be crazy – I’ll be surprised if we blog again until the first of July but promise to post pics when we do.

moving stinks

Today I’m stressed out by getting all of our home insurance squared away.  This is proving extremely hard with little girls who want to play all the time.  I’ve been sentimental also…this was the first place we’ve lived in that Jaimes will remember.  We have memories of four precious little boys here.  Gracie came home to this apartment.  We have packed this place out before – which has been fun and uncomfortable.  Then there is the massive amount of work that needs to happen before we move.  How do I pack with little girls who love to get into everything and un-do what I do?  I’ll let you know how that all works out.  If you have advice – bring it on!!

things around here

We found a house, put an offer, countered a couple times, agreed, had the home inspection yesterday, signed loan apps today, trembling a bit today, getting quotes on home owners insurance, switching over utilities, oh my gosh, is this really happening?

I’ll try to post pics later.  It is a house with potential which means work but we can see a park from the front yard, there is a large back yard, and a planning desk in the laundry room!!  I hope this can be my little room that I can plan away at.  Still pinching myself a bit.  Being in a home has been a desire for me for years.   I’m so excited to have an area to do projects, a place for the kids to run, a sidewalk to chalk it up on, more room to be hospitable, a spot to garden and grow herbs, tomatoes and vegetables.  A parking spot every night!  Yeah, it still feels like a dream.

facebook

I don’t get it.  I kind of think I hate it.  Part of the problem is me, I’m always forgetting my password.  Then there is that whole hassle.  If you have a blog why facebook?  Please share and explain.

our life these days

Things have changed quite a bit over here.

Matt just got a new car, which means we are a two car family which is a necessity w/ two little girls who like to eat a big healthy breakfast in the morning.  Before you start thinking “hmm, new car, huh?”  The mechanic said it would be perfect to get a high schooler back and forth to school.  heh.

Jaimes got a major chop!  Just about six inches cut off her hair!!  I love the style and she does too.  Perfect for summer.

Yesterday we put our first offer on a house.  We got the call back today saying that it wasn’t as high as the other two offers.  Sad, relieved, waiting.  I think more that I don’t know where we will live after here.

Gracie is doing awesome.  I love when she calls for me.  I love when she wants to climb into my lap.  I love when she waddles over to me.

One more thing…if you have a little one who check out starfall.com.  I heard about it today.  Jaimes loves the site.